Desuperheater

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo Da Vinci 1452 - 1519

Komax desuperheaters are based on a simple but sophisticated design concept. The cooling water spray is directed upstream from a patented mixing module called an "Equalizer". The steam flow turns the spray water and flows with it through the mixing module where steam and water meld together with very high contacting efficiency. Conventional desuperheaters lack an effective steam/water mixing system. Cooling water is directed down stream where steam forces the water spray to form into a "rope" having a small surface area and therefore low contacting efficiency. (Consider what happens if a glass of water is thrown out of a car window when the vehicle is moving at 60 mph - a typical steam velocity!)

Komax desuperheaters require no long length of pipe down stream and no "mixing" elbow prior to the temperature probe as required by conventional units

The "Equalizer" Module No moving parts Low pressure drop Short installation length High range ability

DESUPERHEATER BREAKTHROUGH

Unlike conventional desuperheaters Komax units direct the water spray  upstream. The superheated high velocity steam reverses the water spray flow pattern to send it back through a six chamber mixing module, the steam and water converge to form a homogenous mixture with a uniform temperature profile within 5^oF of saturation. Due to the instant mixing of the water and steam the downstream temperature probe may be installed only one third the distance required by standard type desuperheaters.

Conventional desuperheaters spray water downstream in the form of tiny droplets where they are encountered by steam traveling at 60 miles per hour or more. No matter how the spray nozzle is directed downstream the water is coalesced into a rope. To illustrate the point think what would happen if one were to throw a glass of water out of a car traveling at high speed.

Since ordinary desuperheaters lack any mixing module a long pipe length is specified downstream to complete the contacting of water and steam. In addition a "mixing elbow" is needed prior to the temperature probe. The pipe and elbow can add to installation and layout costs.

*Sizes from 2" to 48" in diameter*

Pressure Drop 
This may be calculated from the expression Δ P = 0.0011M² /D⁴P_{A psi}

_{M = steam flow rate in lb/hr}

D =  pipe diameter in inches
P_A =  operating pressure in psia